Manufacture of shingles



A. S. SPEER MANUFACTURE OF SHINGLES Aug. 7, 1928.

Original Filed Feb. 13. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 1, 1928.

A. s. sPEER IANUFACTURE 0F SHINGLES Original Filed Feb. 13. 1922 2sheets-sum 2 19 1 #972 1 97:- 1? Z 810776/8! J 21sec Patented Aug. 7,1928.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER 8. BPEER, OI BUFI'QLO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB, IBY HESNEASBIGNIENTS,

TO CERTAIN-TEED PRODUCTS CORPORATION.

MANUFACTURE 01E SHINGLES.

Application filed February 13, 1922, Serial No. 536,282. Renewed August10, 1927.

This inventionrelates to the manufacture of shin les for roofing and thelike, and aims to provide a novel and improved method and scheme for themanufacture of shingles.

s llhe invention consists in the novel constructions and methods,hereinafter described or claimed, for accomplishing the above statedobject and such other objects as Wlll appear from the followingdescription.

The nature of the invention will he best understood by reference to oneillustrative construction embodying, the invention and shown in theaccompanying drawings.

in said drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view showing the appearance of a portion of a roof whenlaid with the illustrative term oil shingle.

Figs. 2 and 3 are plan and perspective views, respectively, illustratinga convenient mode ct packaging the shin les.

ll ig. at is a plan view, part y diagrammatic, illustrating a machineand a method olf forming the shingles. I

Fig. 5 is aside elevation, partly diagram matic, oi the machine shown inFig. d.

lln the drawings, l0 designates a shingle termed with what may he termedtor convenience semi-hexagonal projections ll, extending in oppositedirections from opposite All hody of the shingle istormed so as toentend, as at 13, beyond one side ot the projections ll respectively. onthe shingles are laid in courses it- (see Fig. l), the extensions 13separate the adjacent projections ll by spaces l5. Preferably, theprojections 11 have tapering or converging sides l6 so that the ends arecl less width than the base thereof. When the courses it are laid inoverlapping relation and staggered. (see Fig. 1) so that the ends lit atthe projections oi one course register with the bases of the recesses toof the adj scent lower course, the rooting so laid preset the appearanceof a plurality of hcrtagor nnngles. Hence the term semh hexagonal hasheen employed to designate the shape oi" the tale in the illustrativeshingle. Variations in the shape of the shingle projections it wouldproduce correspondingly dillerent ellects in the appearance oil theshingles in a root. I

The side edges ill at the hody ldol' the shingle prellerahly straightand dorm sides oil the hody l2 ol' the shinglef The straight lineextensions or continuations of the diagonally opposite edges 16 of theproections 11.

it will he noted by referring to Fig. 1 that the spaces 15 are equal inshapeto the projections 11 along the opposite edge of a course 14. itfollows, therefore, that the outlines 18 along the upper and lower edgesof a shingle are identical and, accordingly, imaginary lines connectingcorresponding points on the up er and lower edges 18, and parallel tothe iagonal side edges 17, are equal in length throughout the shingle.lin the particular illustrative shingle shown in the drawings, theprojections 1.1 are of equal size and shape and it follows, therefore,that the spaces 15 between adjacent projections 11 along one edge of acourse are ec ualin shape and complementary to projections 15 along thisedge. A variation between the shapes oil the projections on the upperand lower edge of the shingle will produce a corresponding difiercnce inshape hetwcen the spaces and projections along one edge of a course.Preferably, the depth, a of the body 12 of the shingle slightly exceedsthe depth d of a tab in order to improve the protection given to a rootwhen shingles are laid in the manner shown in ig. 1;. This excess oildepth of the body of the shingle over that of the projection assists inincreasing the protection to the rcpt hy covering the root tor adistance 0 beyond the lease at the correspond ing projection ll..llrssuming that in a driving rain the wind were sudicient to raise aprojection ll and hand it at its loase along the line 19, the root wouldnevertheless, he protected against leakage by a shingle layer oi? thedepth 0. it is obvious, however, that it it is desired to sacrifice thisadditional protection (,the depth a of the hody of the shingle may hemade equal to that of the depth d out a projection. vin this case, theupper edge of the underlying courses oi the shin les would enactlycoincide with the base 19 oil the overlying talc ll.

lit will also he ohservcd that the diagonal lines of juncture Q0 betweenadjacent shingles occur in the regions covered by the upper projectionsll ol. the shingles of the lower course. This provides protectionagainst lord-rage along these lines o'lz' juncture in case a drivingrain should raise the entilt dill

lillll posed shingle projections sufficiently to creep under the same.It will be observed further that with the particular arrangement of theshingles and courses illustrated in Fig. 1, the roof is covered with atleast a double thick- .ness of shingles except in the elongated hexformoisture to creep from the lower edge 18 i heretofore described.

'of a shingle to the center of the shingle.

Tl'l-S could take place only by the raising of a shingle projection andby driving moisture across the protective belt 0 of the underlyingshingle. In laying the roof it is desirable to secure the shingles inplace by nails placed at 22 and 23 along the base of the recesses 15 and24 near the opposite edge of the shingle. The securing of the shingle bynails along the base of the recess prevents the-raising of this portionof the shingle by driving rain and accordingly prevents moisture fromcreeping under this portion of the shingle and causing leakage. It isapparent, therefore, that the area 21 of single thickness is amplyprotected, and with an unusual margin of safety, against leakage bydriving mm.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is illustrated a method of and machines for making theshingles The shingles may be cut from any suitable roofing material suchas the conventional asphalt, or composition roofing, This roofing issupplied in wide sheets 25 of indefinite length. In order to avoidwaste, the individual shingles 10 are cut-bias of the sheet with thestraight edges 17 parallel with the side edges of the sheet. The edges18 comprising the end and one side of a shingle projection lie obliquelyor diagonally of the sheet 25. In Fig. 4 is illustrated in dotted linesthe positions occupied by the respective shingles before the same arecut from the sheet. It is preferable to employ a sheet of sufficientwidth to form a plurality of shingles arranged side by side, as shown.Although shingles could be formed from a strip of material of a width (Zcorresponding to one dimension of the shingle, it is obviously not'economical, ordinarily, to make shingles in this way. Preferably, thewidth of the sheet is a multiple of the dimension d.

In forming the shingles, the sheet of roofing is cut longitudinallyalong parallel lines 26 to form a plurality of strips 18 of a width d.The oblique 'lines' of severance forming the edges 18-of the shinglesare so arranged that in each transverse row 27 of shingles, they lie ina-region28, transversely of the sheet, which is less oblique than theobliquity of the individual lines 18. The purpose of this arrangementwill be hereinafter explained. In the particular arrangement shown indotted lines in Fig. 4, the region 28 lies substantially at right anglesto the length of the sheet 25.

Also in Fig. and in Fig. 5 is illustrated, somewhat diagrammatically, amachine for forming the shingles in accordance with the method describedabove. In general the machine comprises a table or bed 2!) forsupporting the sheet of rooting. The bed is interrupted at 30 to receiveupper and lower feeding rolls 31 for feeding the rooting at a uniformrate to the cutting mechanism hereinafter described. The table isfurther interrupted at 32 to receive upper and lower for slitting therooting longitudinally along the lines 26. Such a slitting device maycomprise, for example, cooperating pairs of upper and lower slittingknives 33 arranged on a shaft 34, so as to cut the roof as described.These slitters overlap sl ghtly for this purpose. Suitable means, notshown. are provided for rotating the upper and lower shafts 34.

The endof the table 29 is provided with a stationary shear block 35having a shearing edge conforming in contour to the oblique lines ofseverance of the individual shingles. Cach oblique cutting edge 36 isarranged with respect to the other oblique cutting edges so thatv theylie in a region which is less oblique to the sheet 525 than theobliquity of the individual cutting edges 36. Mounted beyond thestationary shear block- 35 is a movable cutting device :37 havingcutting edges 36. In the form of machine illustrated. the cutting device2-)? coinprises a rotary member adapted to rotate in a clockwisedirection. as viewed in Fig. about a shaft 39. The cutting edges 3b arearranged substantially radially of the member 37-and are adapted whenrotated to shear the sheet of roofing in cooperation with the stationaryshear blade 35. In order to minimize the expenditure of power during theshearing operation. the leading edge vt0 of the cutter is arranged tostrike the heet at a slight" angle to the bed of the machine (see Fig.5) so as to effect a gradual shearing of the sheet. Below the cutter amovable conveyor belt 41 is placed for conveying away the shingles asthey are severed by the cutter.

The cutter is rotated by suitable mechanism, not shown. and the feedingrolls 31 are driven at such a speed relative to that of the cutter as tofeed forward a strip of roofim corresponding to the distance 0 betweenadjacent rows of oblique lines of severance. By employing the method ofcutting the shingles described above. the feeding rolls 31 may belocated sutlicicntly close to the shearing edges of the shear block 3-5avoid any buckling or other dis- Ill) ill

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placement of the roofing sheet between the feeding rolls and the cuttingedge.

Although the individual oblique lines of severance are arranged at aconsiderable angle to the length of the sheet (the angle of theextremities of these lines of severance being degrees to the length ofthesheet), they are arranged relative to each other so that the generaldirection of the cutting edge of the rotary cutter is not substantiallyoblique to the sheet. The general obliquity of the cutting edge of thecutter may be arranged at any desired. angle to the length of the sheetby positioning the individual oblique lines of severance of each shinglein such a way that they areoflset from those of adjacent shingles. llnthe illustrative ar'angement shown in Fig. l, the general line of theedge of the cutter is at right angles to the length of the sheet.

llei'etofore in cutting shingles obliquely of the length of the sheet,considerable difiiculty has been experienced by the displacement of theroofing due to the relatively entreme angle at which it was severed bythe cutter. This di'lliculty has been further aggravated by the tactthat the feeding rolls could not be placed sufliciently close to allpoints of the cutting edge of the stationary shear block to prevent.buckling ol the rooting sheet. The roofing sheet is flexible and:trequentlysofi, especially it it has just been made, and tends tobuckle beyond the feed ing rolls when there is too great a distancebetween these rolls and the cutter. These difficulties are avoided bstaggering or oil setting the individual ob ique lines of severance soas to permit the cutting of the sheet transversely along a line which isgenerally less oblique than the individual lines of severance. u

it will be observed that by cutting the shingles bias of the sheet alonglines which form the edge ot the shingle, in the manner shown, all wasteis avoided.

it is obvious that the configuration oil the shingle tabs may be variedconsiderably without departing from the principles oi the invention.

Obviously the invention is not limited to any particular term ofconstruction. and the details of the illustrative construction may bevariously modified. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all thefeatures oi the invention be used conyolntly'; they may be "used toadvantage in various ditlerent eombinations and sub-combinations.

l claim:

l. The method oi. making individual shingles oil the type described fromsheet roofing material which comprises slitting the sheet longitudinallyinto a. number oil strips oil a width corresponding to one dimension ofthe individual shingles to becut, and then severing each striptransversely at intervals along a line extending from edge to edge ofsaid strip, part of which is oblique to the length of the sheet andforms the lower edge of the shingle.

2. The method of making from sheet roofing material individual shingleshaving inclined sides which comprises slitting the sheet longitudinallyinto a number of strips of a width corresponding to one dimension of theindividual shingles to be out, andthen severing each strip at intervalsalong the lines which run generally obliquely of the strip and whichhave the contour of the front or exposed edge of the shingle,-wherebywhen said shingles are laid in courses, the side edges thereof areinclined to the generalline of the course.

3. The method of making individual shingles of the type described fromsheet roofing material which comprises slitting the sheet longitudinallyinto a number of strips of a width corresponding to one di-' mension ofthe individual shingle to be out,

and then severing each strip at intervalsalong lines which run generallyobliquely of the strip, said lines connected by a line substantially atright angles to the length oil said sheet.

l. The method at making individual shingles having projecting tabs from.sheet rooting material. which comprises slitting the sheetlongitudinally into a number oil strips ot' a width corresponding to onedimension of the individual shingles to be cut, and then severing eachstrip at intervals along lines which run generally obliquely oil thestrip, said lines oil severance "forming the end and one side of theshingle tab and the lines along which said sheet is slittorming theother side of the shingle tab.

ti. Tlieniethod of simultaneously forming a plurality o'l individualshingles having tabs adapted to be enposed in a root, which comprisesslitting a sheet of rooting material longitudinally into a' plurality oistrips oi a width corresponding to one dimension oil the, shingle, andsevering each strip trans versely along a line, generally oblique to thestrip, said lines of severance lying in a re gion of said sheet whichextends substantially at right angles to the length Gil said sheet, andrepeating the severing operation at regular intervals alon s d r 6. Themethod oil simu ineouslyforming a plurality of individu shingles havingtabs adapted, when laid in a root, to sirnu late hexagonal shingles,which aoinpriees slitting a sheet of roofing material longiregion olsaid sheetwhich errtends substan- Mill llll

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tially at right angles to the length thereof and repeating the severingoperation at regular intervals along said strips.

7. The method of simultaneously forming a plurality of individualshingles having tabs adapted to be exposed in a roof, which comprisesslitting a sheet of roofing material longitudinally into a plurality ofstrips of a width corresponding to one dimension of the shingle, andsevering each strip transversely along a line, the terminal portions ofwhich extend obliquely to the strip, one end of said line and theintermediate portion thereof forming the end and one side, respectively,of the tab, and repeating the severing operation at regular intervalsalong said strips.

8. The method of simultaneously forming a plurality of individualshingles having tabs adapted to be exposed in a roof, which comprisesslitting a sheet of roofing material longitudinally into a plurality ofstrips of a width corresponding to one dimension of the shingle, andsevering each strip transversely along a line, the terminal portions ofwhich are parallel and extend obliquely to the strip, one end of saidline and the in termediate portion thereof forming the end and one side,respectively, of the tab, and

repeating the severing operation at regular intervals along said strips.

9. The method of simultaneously forming a plurality of individualshingles having tabs adapted to be exposed in a roof, which comprisesslitting a sheet of roofing material longitudinally into a plurality ofstrips of a Width corresponding to one dimension of the shingle, andsevering each strip transversely along a line, the terminal portions ofwhich are parallel and extend at substantially degrees to the strip, oneend of said line and the intermediate portion thereof forming the 'endand oneside, respectively, of the tab, and repeating the severingoperation at regular intervals along said strips.

10. The method of simultaneously forming a plurality of individualshingles having tabs adapted to be exposed in a roof, which comprisesslitting a sheet of roofing material longitudinally into a plurality ofstrips of width corresponding to onedimension oi the shingle, andsevering each strip trans- 'versely along a line, the terminal portionsor which are parallel and extend at substantially ladegrees to thestrip, and the intermediate portion thereof extending at 90 degrees tothe length of said strip, said portions being of equal length, andrepeating said severing operation at regular intervals along saidstrips.

11. The method of simultaneously "forming plurality of individualshingles having tabs adapted to be exposed in a roof, which comprisesslitting a sheet of rooting material longitudinally into a plurality ofstrips of a width corresponding to one dimension of the shingle, andsevering each strip transversely along a line, the terminal portions ofwhich are parallel and extend at substantially 45 degrees to the strip,and the intermediate portion thereof extending at 90 degrees to thelength of said strip, said portions being of equal length, and repeatingsaid severing operation along said strip at intervals equal to the widthof a stri 12. The method of making bias cut slingles which, when laid incourses on a roof present the appearance of a plurality oi spacedshingle tabs, which comprises providing a sheet of roofing material of awidth to provide a plurality of shingles, and severing said sheet atintervals transversely to form the outlines of one side of the shingles,the outlines of the individual shingles in the sheet being offsetrelative to the position occupied when the shingles are laid adjacent toeach other in the roof, said offset lines of severance permitting saidsheet to be out along a line running generally at right angles to thelength of the sheet, and cutting said sheet longitudinally to divide thetransversely severed portion into said plurality of individualshirigles.

13. The method of making simultaneously a plurality of shingles cut onthe bias of a sheet of roofing material, which consists in severing asheet of roofing at intervals,

transversely, along lines forming the outlines of the ends and one sideof a plurality of shingles, the lines of severance being so arrangedrelatively to one another that said outlines of the individual shinglesare oliset relative to the osition occupied by such outlines when the siingles are laid in courses on a roof, such arrangement permitting saidsheet to be severed transversely along a line, the general direction ofwhich is substantially at right angles to the length of the sheet andcutting said sheet longitudinally to divide the same into said pluralityof individual shingles.

14. The method of making simultaneously a plurality of shingles cut onthe bias of a sheet of roofing material, which consists in severing asheet or roofing at intervals, obli uely, along lines forming theoutlines of t e ends and one side of a plurality of shingles, the linesof severance being so arranged relatively to one another that saidoutlines of the individual shingles are ofiset relative to the positionoccupied by such outlines when the shingles are laid in courses on aroof, such arrangement permitting said sheet to he severed transverselyalong a line, the general direction of which is less oblique than theobliquity of the individual shingles relative to the sheet, and cuttingsaid sheet longitudinally to divide the same into said plurality ofindividual shingles.

15. Apparatus for making bias-cut shingles of the type described,comprising in combination, means for feeding a sheet of roofingmaterial, a cutting device across the path of said material and adaptedto sever said material transversely at intervals along a line, thegeneral direction of which is less oblique than the obliquity of the cutof the individual shingles, said cutting device provided with a. cuttingedge adapted to out said material to form theend and one side of aplurality of shingles, and means for cutting said materiallongitudinally to form the other side ofsaid shingles.

16. Apparatus for making bias-cut shingles of the type described,comprising in combination, means for feeding a sheet of roofingmaterial, a rotary cutter adapted to sever said material transversely atintervals, said cutter provided with a cutting edge adapted to form thefront edge and one side of a plurality of shingles, said front edgesbeing cut obliquely to the sheet of material, the axis of said cutterbeing arranged transversely of said sheet at an angle less oblique thanthat of the front edges of said shingles, and means for cutting saidsheet longitudinally to form the-other sides of said shingles.

17. Apparatus for making bias-cut shingles of the type described,comprising in combination, means for feeding a sheet of roofingmaterial, a rotary cutter adapted to sever said material transversely atintervals, said cutter provided with a cutting edge adapted to form thefront edge and one side of a plurality of shinglesfsaid front edgesbeing cut obliquely to the sheet of material, the axis of said cutterbeing arranged substantially at right angles to the direction of feed ofsaid sheet, and means for cutting said sheet longitudinally to form theother sides of said shingles.

18. Apparatus for making bias-cut shingles of the type described,comprising in combination, means for feeding a sheet of roofingmaterial, a rotary cutter adapted to sever said material transversely atintervals, said cutter provided with acutting edge adapted to form thefront edge and one side of a plurality of shingles, said front edgesbeing cut obliquely to the sheet of material, said cutting edge as aWhole being arranged relativeto the direction of feed at an angle lessoblique than the obliquity of the indlvidual shingles, and slittingcutters adapted to slit said sheet longitudinally between the shingles.

19. Apparatus for making bias-cut shingles of-the type described,comprising in combination, means for feeding a sheet of material,slitting devices for slitting said sheet longitudinally into a pluralityof strips of a width corresponding 3 to one dimension of the shingle, arotary cutter having a cutting edge for severing said sheet transverselyat intervals along a line forming, on each of the strips, the front edgeand one side of a shingle. the axis of said cutter being at right anglesto the direction of feed, and corresponding Jarts of said cutting edgebeing substantially the same distance from said ax's, and a stationarycutting blade adapted to cooperate with said rotary cutter.

20. Apparatus for making shingles of the character described, comprisingin combination, means for feeding a sheet of roofing material, slittingdevices for slitting Said sheet longitudinally into a plurality ofstrips of a width corresponding to one dimention of said shingle, aperiodically 0perating'cutter having cutting edges for severing saidstrips transversely at intervals along lines forming the front edge andone side of the exposed portion of said shingle, the cutting edges ofsaid cutter being arranged to lie in a line substantially at rightangles to the direction of travel of said sheet with corresponding partsof said cutting edges lying substantially in lines at right angles tothe direction of travel of said sheet, and a stationary cutting bladearranged to cooperate With said cutter.

In testimony.wliereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALEXANDER S. SPEER.

